The CentriMag: a new optimized centrifugal blood pump with levitating impeller.

Purpose: Blood pumps are routinely used for circulatory and pulmonary support. However, blood trauma and pump failure remain severe drawbacks of currently available pump models. This study evaluated the first clinical application of a new, totally bearingless centrifugal blood pump (CentriMag).
Material and Methods: A centrifugal pump consisting of an electromagnetic suspended impeller was used as a blood pump during beating-heart coronary artery bypass grafting in 11 patients (mean weight, 77.4 kg). Heparin in a bolus of 150 IU/kg body weight was administered, and activated clotting time was maintained at approximately 180 to 250 seconds during extracorporeal circulation. Pump-induced blood trauma was evaluated by measurement of plasma free hemoglobin (PFH), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), hematocrit, total bilirubin, and platelet levels.
Results: Mean pump flow was 3.3 +/- 0.62 L/min, and mean pressure gradient through the oxygenator was 69 +/- 4 mm Hg. No pump dysfunction occurred during a mean application time of 105 +/- 26 minutes. Inspection of the pump housings showed no internal thrombus formation despite low-dose heparinization. Only slight hemolysis was observed with a mean PFH level of 1.96 micromol/L; LDH, 460 U/L; hematocrit, 33%; total bilirubin, 25 micromol/L; and platelets, 191 x 10(3)/microL.
Conclusions: The bearingless CentriMag blood pump is a safe and reliable new device that produces only minimal hemolysis. It seems to be suited for long-term evaluation as a blood pump for extracorporeal membrane oxygenation or as ventricular assist device.